Translation ISABEAU S'Y PROMENE

Subject: Translation ISABEAU S'Y PROMENE
From: Gudrun Miller
Date: 22 Dec 04 - 04:37 AM

Was Wondering if anybody knows where to get hold of a translation of the above?
Took me ages to figure out how the French lingo worked--now I'd like to know exactly What I'm singing about--some woman drowning herselfe--i believe.
Many Thanks--

Subject: RE: Translation ISABEAU S'Y PROMENE
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Dec 04 - 05:00 AM

There's a bit of information in the Traditional Ballad Index:

Isabeau S'y Promene (Isabel)

DESCRIPTION: French: Isabel goes walking by the sea side. She meets a sailor who sings sweetly to her. She joins him on his boat, but then grieves because she has lost her gold ring. He dives three times to try to find it; the third time he does not come up.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1880 (E. Gagnon, Chansons Populaires du Canada)
KEYWORDS: courting ship death drowning ring foreignlanguage grief
FOUND IN: Canada(Mar)
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Scott-BoA, pp. 297-300, "Isabeau S'y Promene (Isabel)" (2 texts (1 French, 1 English), 1 tune)
DT, ISABEAU
RECORDINGS:
Pete Seeger, "Isabeau S'y Promeneau" (on PeteSeeger29)
Notes: Reported by Scott to be sung in France, Quebec, and Louisiana, though his version is from New Brunswick. The correct title of this song is "Isabeau S'y Promène." - RBW
File: SBoA297

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Apparently, there's an English version in John Anthony Scott, The Ballad of America (1966) - I don't have that one.

Subject: RE: Translation ISABEAU S'Y PROMENE
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Dec 04 - 05:28 AM

Here's the version from Favorite French Folk Songs, by Alan Mills (Oak Publications, 1963)

Isabeau S'y Promène 1. - Isabeau s'y promène Le long de son jardin, Le long de son jardin, Sur le bord de l'ile, Le long de son jardin, Sur le bord de l'eau, Sur le bord du vaisseau. 2. - Elle fit un' rencontre De trente matelots; De trente matelots Sur le bord de l'ile; De trente matelots, Sur le bord de l'eau, Sur le bord du vaisseau. 3. - Le plus jeune des trente, Il se mit chanter; Il Se mit a chanter Sur le bord de l'ile, etc. 4. - La chanson que tu chantes, Je voudrais la savoir; Je voudrais la Savoir, Sur le bord de Pile, etc. 5. - Embarque dans ma barque, Je te la chanterai; Je te la chanterai, Sur le bord de l'ile, etc. 6. - Quand eli' fut dans la barque, Eli' se mit a pleurer; Eli' se mit a pleurer Sur le bord de l'ile, etc. 7. Qu'avez-vous donc, la belle, Qu'a- a tant pleurer? Qu'a-vous a tant pieurer, Sur le bord de l'ile, etc. 8. - Je pieur' mon anneau d'or(e), Dans l'eau-z-il est tombé; Dans l'eau-z-il est tombe', Sur le bord de l'ile, etc. 9. - Ne pleurez point, la belle, Je vous le piongerai; Je vous le plongerai Sur le bord de l'ile, etc. 10. - De la premiere plonge, Il n'a rien ramené; Il n'a rien ramene, Sur le bord de l'ile, etc. 11. - De la seconde pionge, L'anneau-z-a voltigé; L'anneau-z-a voltigé Sur le bord de l'ile, etc. 12. - De la troisième plonge, Le galant s'est noyé; Le galant s'est noyé Sur le bord de l'ile etc.

Isabeau Went A-Strolling 1. - Isabeau went a-strolling All in her garden-o, All in her garden-o, Near the ocean rolling, All in her garden-o, Near the ocean shore Where the white billows roar. 2. - She met thirty young sailors, Thirty young sailors bold, Thirty young sailors bold, Near the ocean rolling, Thirty young sailors bold, Near the ocean shore Where the white billows roar. 3. - The youngest of the sailors Sang a sweet melody, Sang a sweet melody Near the ocean rolling, (Etc.) 4. - "The song that you are singing, I'd like to know," said she. "I'd like to know," said she, Near the ocean rolling, (Etc.) 5. — "Oh come, come board the ship dear And I will sing to thee. And I will sing to thee." On the ocean rolling. (Etc.) 6. - But, once on board the vessel, The maiden wept, did she. The maiden wept, did she, On the ocean rolling. (Etc.) 7, - Then up spoke the young sailor: 'Why do you weep?" said he. 'Why do you weep'?" said he, On the ocean rolling. (Etc.) 8. - "I weep for my gold ring, sir, Which I've lost in the sea! Which I've lost in the sea! "In the ocean rolling. (Etc.) 9. - "Oh, weep no more, my darling, I'll get it back for thee! I'll get it back for thee! In the ocean foiling. (Etc.) 10. - Oh, once plunged the young sailor, But all in vain sought he. But all in vain sought he, In the ocean rolling. (Etc.) 11. - Oh, twice plunged the young sailor, But no gold ring found he. But no gold ring found he, In the ocean rolling. (Etc.) 12. - Then, thrice plunged the young sailor, And he drowned in the sea! And he drowned in the sea In the ocean rolling. (Etc.)

Subject: Lyr Add: ISABEAU S'Y PROMENE (ISABEL)
From: masato sakurai
Date: 22 Dec 04 - 05:50 AM

Singable translation from John Anthony Scott, The Ballad of America (Bantam Books, 1966, pp. 297-300).

    ISABEAU S'Y PROMÈNE (ISABEL)

1. Isabel was a-walking
    Down in the garden green,
    Down in the garden green
         At the island's edge,
    Down in the garden green
         By the waterside
         Where the tall ships ride.

2. She met a band of sailors
    While she was walking there.
    While she was walking there
         At the island's edge,
    While she was walking there
         By the waterside
         Where the tall ships ride.

3. The youngest of the sailors
    He sang a song of love.
    He sang a song of love
         At the island's edge,
    He sang a song of love
         By the waterside
         Where the tall ships ride.

4. "Your song is such a sweet one,
    I'd like to sing it too.
    I'd like to sing it too
         At the island's edge,
    I'd like to sing it too
         By the waterside
         Where the tall ships ride."

5. "Come with me to my tall ship
    And I'll sing you my song.
    And I'll sing you my song
         At the island's edge,
    And I'll sing you my song
         By the waterside
         Where the tall ships ride."

6. She went on board that tall ship
    But soon began to cry.
    But soon began to cry
         At the island's edge,
    But soon began to cry
         By the waterside
         Where the tall ships ride.

7. "What's wrong, my pretty lady,
    That makes you so lament?
    That makes you so lament
         At the island's edge,
    That makes you so lament
         By the waterside
         Where the tall ships ride?"

8. "I'm weeping for my gold ring
    That in the water fell.
    That in the water fell
         At the island's edge,
    That in the water fell
         By the waterside
         Where the tall ships ride."

9. "Oh, do not cry my lady,
    I'll fetch it back for you.
    I'll fetch it back for you
         At the island's edge,
    I'll fetch it back for you
         By the waterside
         Where the tall ships ride."

10. He dived into the ocean,
    But came up with no ring.
    But came up with no ring
         At the island's edge,
    But came up with no ring
         By the waterside
         Where the tall ships ride.

11. The next time that he dived there
    The golden ring did gleam.
    The golden ring did gleam
         At the island's edge,
    The golden ring did gleam
         By the waterside
         Where the tall ships ride.

12. The third time that he dived there,
    The youth no more was seen.
    The youth no more was seen
         At the island's edge,
    The youth no more was seen
         By the waterside
         Where the tall ships ride.

Subject: RE: Translation ISABEAU S'Y PROMENE
From: Amos
Date: 26 Dec 04 - 11:11 PM

Damn, what a shitty story....some guys just don't know their own limits.


A

Subject: RE: Translation ISABEAU S'Y PROMENE
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 27 Dec 04 - 02:10 PM

Then there was the boy who dived for the Golden Vanity. He died with his auger in his hand.